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Europe in their sights

Munich - As is almost invariably the case, 1. FSV Mainz 05 started into the 2012/13 season with Bundesliga survival the uppermost priority. With eight rounds of action still to go, however, the club from the small city on the Rhine can now afford to shift their focus firmly to the battle for a UEFA Europa League place.

Unbeaten in six games - five of which admittedly finished all-square - Thomas Tuchel's injury-stricken troops battled to a goalless draw at Hoffenheim last time out, prompting the coach to comment: "The team pulled a remarkable performance out of the hat, given our situation."

Mainz have lost just one of their last ten Bundesliga outings - 3-0 at home to the FC Bayern steamroller on Matchday 20.

They have just crept back for the first time since Matchday 21.

FSV have conceded just eight goals since league action resumed. Only Bayern (four) have a better defensive record - likewise (11, to Mainz's 29) over the course of the entire season.

1. FC Nuremberg (three) are the only team to concede fewer goals from set piece situations than Mainz (four).

Top scorer Adam Szalai has not hit the net in five games, his longest dry spell of the campaign.

Not enough wins: only one in their last seven matches, to be precise, 1-0 at home to Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Matchday 25.

Not enough goals, either: nine in 2013, a total undermatched only by VfB Stuttgart, 1899 Hoffenheim, Eintracht Frankfurt and Greuther Fürth.

Borussia Mönchengladbach are the only team in the division to have allowed their opponents to cross the ball more often (444 times) than Mainz (358).

His current mini-slump notwithstanding, is Mainz's most successful marksman this season with 12 goals in 25 appearances. At any rate, if he can maintain his 0.48 goals-per-game ratio, the Hungarian international will be good for another four by the end of the campaign.

Matchday 27: SV Werder Bremen (H)

Matchday 28: 1. FC Nuremberg (A)

Matchday 29: Hamburger SV (H)

Matchday 30: Borussia Dortmund (A)

Matchday 31: Eintracht Frankfurt (H)

Matchday 32: Hannover 96 (A)

Matchday 33: Mönchengladbach (H)

Matchday 34: VfB Stuttgart (A)

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